0&1 Ch 21.2

It was quite some time after I woke up that I noticed the carriage had stopped. I heard Dot’s voice outside the carriage.

“Oh, it’s true. The road is blocked. How long will it take to get back? … There’s no choice. Sir Alex, may we change our route?”

“Shouldn’t we ask His Highness?”

“His Highness is enjoying a rare opportunity for a good sleep. I don’t want to wake him. When serving His Highness, it is important to be considerate. He is a sensitive person and always thinks of those below him first…”

I got up before Dot could say anything else embarrassing. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, Your Highness.” Dot ran over to the carriage. “It’s nothing that His Highness needs to worry about. A tree has fallen and is blocking the road, so we’ll have to turn back. Why don’t you get some more rest? I’ll take care of this.”

It didn’t matter either way.

I had no idea why the road was blocked. My route had been planned to be safe and along roads that were frequently traveled. If the road was blocked, many people would be unable to pass.

What are the officials doing?

I got out of the carriage. Several thick tree trunks were blocking the road.

This couldn’t have happened naturally. No way. It was practically begging to be recognized as a trap.

Could there be a band of bandits ahead?

From the two carriages behind, a line of guards dismounted.

“What is the problem, Your Highness?”
“Can you remove that?”

Two knights and twelve soldiers. All of them were well-built men.

“Yes, we will remove it.”

The soldiers obeyed the Prince’s orders without question. After watching them clear the trees in pairs, I called over a knight.

“What do you think? Could there be bandits ahead?”

I couldn’t remember any such sinister events appearing in the game.

“What? I haven’t heard of any bandits appearing near the capital,” The knight replied.

Alex had been standing close to me ever since the word “bandits” was mentioned.

“If it’s not bandits, then who would want to block the road?” I asked Alex. 

I couldn’t decide whether to call the authorities or take care of it myself.

I didn’t know how good Alex’s judgment was, but I trusted his fighting skills. He was the best knight in the academy.

Alex’s face was stern.

“Alex?”

“Your Highness. Excuse me…”

Alex bowed his head. He whispered in my ear. “There may be an attack. I can hear the sound of weapons clashing. You’d better get out of the way.”

“An ambush?”
“Yes. Probably…”

Alex stood up straight. He was looking at the path that had been cleared of trees.

“The noise has stopped,” Alex said.

Dot moved closer to me. The soldiers and knights halted where they stood.

Something was approaching. I could hear it too.

The sound of several horses galloping. The sound of hooves striking the ground.

The sound grew louder. I could see horses galloping toward us. Three horses with no riders and three horses carrying people.

One person stood out among them. Edward was riding a horse, holding the reins of another horse with one hand.

His hair, shining golden in the light, was soaked with blood.

Edward slowed down his horse. Grey and the other knight following him did the same.

Beside them, the ownerless horses ran like mad. The thunderous sound of hooves washed over us.

The group of horses passed us.

“Edward.” I barely managed to open my mouth. Edward was approaching on the empty road.

I could see blood splattered on Edward’s pale face.

“Hello, Joffrey,” Edward greeted me in a flat voice. He spoke as calmly as he had at the banquet. “Are you on your way to the academy? That’s great. Give us a ride.”

Edward suddenly wiped his face as if he had just remembered to do so.

However, the blood on his hands hadn’t dried yet. A large red stain spread across his face.

“We lost our carriage,” he added.

The four-seater carriage felt cramped.

Edward, sitting across from me, remained silent. Alex, sitting next to me, was also quiet.

I had been staring at Edward’s knees since earlier, and no one tried to start a conversation.

Why did things turn out like this?

Alex and Dot’s business delayed our departure time considerably. Originally, Edward and I would not have had any reason to meet.

We shouldn’t have run into each other.

No, it wasn’t meant to happen, but still.

The main game starts a year from now.

My head was a mess. I thought about changing the ending, but I hadn’t thought about how to deal with Edward.

Until now, I had a set way of dealing with Edward. As soon as I saw him, I would turn my head away and avoid him.

Edward was the same. I had always tried to leave before he could turn away from me.

But why was Edward acting this way? He was acting as if he had forgotten what he had said.

As if he wanted to brush over what had happened.

I hadn’t sorted out my feelings, but Edward seemed to have already decided how he was going to respond to me.

But it was strange. This relationship was different from the game.

In the game, Edward wasn’t the type of person who would put himself in a situation where he had to be in the same place as Joffrey.

The two avoided each other even in the main game.

He lost the carriage? He had a horse.

It wouldn’t be difficult to get to an inn or a village nearby.

Does he need protection? Does Edward even need protection?

He’ll make it through the main game without a scratch. He came back alive from the battlefield.

What was his logic? Even if Joffrey is your enemy, he’s still a useful shield?

If that’s the case, then Edward is amazing. He’s the ideal Prince for Grey to choose.

If I were Edward, I wouldn’t get in Joffrey’s carriage even if it meant dying.

Edward was watching me. 

How do human senses work? It’s amazing that you can know what someone is doing without using your eyes.

I think Edward could probably move someone just by looking at them.

I actually felt like I was sitting on a bed of thorns. Edward’s gaze hurt.

I should look at him.

If Edward has decided to face me, then I must do the same.

When I looked up, I saw Edward’s hand, covered in dried blood.

I couldn’t see any damage to him. There were no signs that he had been bleeding.

Whose blood was it?

“Are you curious? About what happened?”

I heard Edward’s voice.

Our eyes met. He knew I was looking at his hand.

“No.” I lied. 

Even if I asked, it wouldn’t be a good topic of conversation.

Edward smiled broadly.

“You’re not curious?” His voice was low and soft, as if he were whispering. Edward seemed slightly angry.

Why?

Goosebumps rose all over my body, and my head felt numb.

I don’t know if it was because Edward’s face was so beautiful that it was ridiculous, or because of the bloody marks left on his face.

“I thought you’d be curious. What were you thinking about?” Edward asked with a smile.

Stop smiling.

I felt like laughing bitterly. I didn’t know why he was acting like that when he didn’t usually smile much. I wished he would just say what he wanted to say instead of forcing himself to smile.

It seemed like I saw him smile more now than when he was younger.

“Your thoughts.”

“My thoughts? … What thoughts?” Edward echoed blankly.

“I wish you would wipe the blood off.”

“Blood?” He looked at his hands.

“And your face, too.”
“… Didn’t I wipe it off?”
“It smeared.”
“Does it look ugly?”
“It’s scary.”
“Are you scared of blood?”

No, I’m scared of you.

But I couldn’t say that. “I guess so.”

“Should I wipe it off?” Edward asked innocently.

“Yes.”
“Wipe it for me.”

What?

Edward held out his hand. I could see blood clotted on it. Not there… Your face is the problem.

When I frowned, Edward asked, “Are you scared?”

His question seemed to be gauging my reaction, and I felt a chill in the pit of my stomach.

I wanted to ask him if he wanted me to be scared.

“Let me wipe it for you.”

At that moment, Alex stepped in. He grabbed Edward’s wrist to hold his hand steady, then took a handkerchief in his other hand and began to wipe the blood away.

But the dried blood wouldn’t come off, and Edward’s hand grew redder and redder.